HEALTH BYTES
Another Perspective on Health
"Health is not the mere absence of disease, but in fact a state of vitality, of
energy, of creativity; ultimately, a higher state of consciousness."
Deepak Chopra, M.D.
Obesity and Exercise
A study done on female twins shows a genetic predisposition to obesity does not lower
the beneficial effects of exercise. As a matter of fact, women who have more of a tendency
toward being overweight may respond better to exercise. Researchers published their
findings in the Annals of Internal Medicine 1999; 130:873-882. They reported that while
less exercise is associated with obesity, the relationship is not influenced by
environmental factors such as smoking and dieting.
Home Exercise Machines - A Review Site
Why exercise at home? Because the time you spend going to and from the gym is time you could be spending exercising. Get reviews and recommendations on the very best home exercise machines. Know what's out there!
Short on Fiber
The Kellogg Company funded a study over twelve months ago, documenting the fact
Americans are only getting half of the USDA recommended daily intake of 25 grams to 30
grams of fiber. In truth, the study reported the disturbing finding that a third of
Americans don't even know what the daily requirements for fiber are. Then, too, another 45
percent underestimate the amount needed to meet the requirements. The study found nearly
half of all Americans don't get enough fiber because they say they are too busy, while
another 24 percent admitted they don't know which foods contain fiber. Another 15 percent
say foods high in fiber don't taste good. For the record, high quality fiber may be found
in many fruits and vegetables, as well as in certain whole grain foods, such as whole
wheat bread, bran muffins and breakfast cereals.
FYI -- Avoid Commercial Chemical
Laxatives.
They do what they are supposed to do, however they are addicting. If too many chemical laxatives are taken, your bowel gets used to them and your constipation can get worse. A better bet would be one marked "natural" or "vegetable." These are considered safe, even if taken over a long period of time. Just be sure to drink plenty of water with them.
SORE THROAT HELP
-- Sore throats can be annoying, but they usually can be improved with a few simple
self-care steps. Low humidity in your home, failing to drink enough fluids, winter
dryness, or smoke can be the culprits, but often, sore throats are a sign of infection.
During an infection, your throat fights back by increasing the blood flow to your neck.
This is what causes the swelling, soreness, and cough that often accompany a sore throat.
Two types of infections cause sore throats: the more common viral infection; and the
less common, but more serious, bacterial infection, known as strep throat. Here are the
usual differences between the two: Viral sore throat - caused by a virus; usually causes a
dry cough and a lighter colored mucus; less likely to be accompanied by a fever; often
associated with cold or flu; disappears by 7 to 10 days. Strep throat - caused by
bacteria; throat appears very red with white patches or pus and swollen tonsils and neck
glands; often produces a temperature of over 101 degrees; requires treatment with
antibiotics.
If you're suffering from a sore throat, here are a few steps to take to get relief and
be well in a short time. Drink at least eight glasses of fluid a day. Gargle with warm
salt water (1/2 teaspoon of salt in 8 oz. of water). Suck on hard candies or cough drops
and take aspirin for fever or discomfort if needed. (Children and teenagers should take
acetaminophen instead of aspirin.) Increase the humidity with vaporizers or hot showers.
However, since vaporizers can transmit infection, it is important to keep them very clean.
It is recommended to take an immune system booster at the first sign of need.
KEEP THE WATER BOTTLE HANDY
-- Drinking plenty of water while you exercise can help you keep your heart rate down.
If you get dehydrated, sweat is drawn from the water content of your blood, reducing its
volume. Your heart beats faster when less blood is available to fuel your muscles and cool
the skin.
SMILE BRIGHTENER
-- To brighten teeth stained by coffee and cigarettes, mix baking soda with enough
hydrogen peroxide to make a toothpaste and brush teeth as usual.
LIFE'S
QUESTIONS & ANSWERS
Q Since fruit gets sweeter as it ripens, does that mean it contains more calories?
A No. The fruit contains the same amount
of calories at all stages after it matures and during the ripening process. The reason it
tastes sweeter is that the larger carbohydrate molecules are being broken down by
naturally occurring enzymes; these produce a sweeter taste, even though the same amount of
carbohydrate is actually present. You can liken this scenario to eating a soda cracker,
which is mostly made up of larger molecules of starch. Hold the cracker in your mouth a
few moments, and it will begin to taste sweet, even with the same amount of carbohydrate.
Q Why do some women
crave chocolate during their periods?
A Dr. Gail Frank, a registered dietitian
and spokesperson for the American Dietetic Association, believes the changing hormone
levels right before menstruation begins can cause discomfort, including headaches.
Self-indulging in chocolate provides the body with active substances that may help raise
levels of seratonin, a brain chemical which can help improve mood and sense of well-being.
Q Is it
OK to stop a sneeze?
A Actually, no. But if you do try to hold
your breath, do it by sealing your lips and lightly pinching your nose while still
sneezing. If you pinch too tight, you may create enormous pressure in your nose and
throat. This can force (or spread) infection up into your sinus tissues and ears through
your Eustachian tubes.
Q Do food-combining
diets work?
A For weight loss purposes, you should
always remember a very important factor - calories are calories. Still, proteins, fats and
carbohydrates require different enzymes to digest. And foods that are high in fats and
proteins naturally travel through the digestive tract more slowly, because it takes longer
for them to digest. By comparison, carbohydrates travel through much faster. So you can
greatly support the function of your digestive system by partially separating the foods
somewhat when you eat them. In general, eat your carbohydrates earlier in the meal. This
way they can travel on through, which permits adequate time for the digestion of proteins
and fat. This naturally results in less gas, bloating and other digestive upsets. This
practice is usually referred to as "food combining" and several books, loaded
with good tips, are available on the subject.
| Joy for Chocolate Lovers With all the
holiday chocolates many of us amass this time of year (just as we resolve to "lose
weight"!), it is of some interest to examine recent research into the health benefits
(if any) of chocolate consumption. Topping the chocolate lover's welcome list are findings
by a group of researchers at Harvard University's School of Public Health. They showed
chocolate and candy eaters, no matter how intensive their sweet tooth, live almost one
year longer than non-candy eaters. They published their results in the British Medical
Journal and speculate the naturally occurring antioxidants in chocolate may be the reason
for the longevity differential noted.
Americans consume on average about ten pounds per year, per person. And while chocolate
has been blamed for causing migraine headaches, PMS, hives and other allergies, binge
eating and just about any other malady you can envision, the former head of the nutrition
department at the Medical College of Georgia, E.B. Feldman, M.D., believes there is a
place for chocolate in a healthy diet.
Despite chocolate's high fat and calorie content, the type of fat it contains -
vegetable fat - is relatively neutral in terms of its artery-clogging effects. Dr. Feldman
believes most healthy people may safely consume two or three chocolate bars per week or
one cup of cocoa with skim milk. Furthermore, she feels chocolate may have some actual
health benefits, due to the unique phytochemicals contained in cocoa beans. These may have
an effect on brain function and act as antioxidants. Her review of the scientific
literature on chocolate was published in the May-June issue of Nutrition Today. |
Walking For Maximum
Calorie Burn If your goal is to burn calories, you can burn significantly
more of them by cranking up the elevation on your treadmill. Keep in mind the importance
of increasing gradually and remember, check with your doctor before beginning any exercise
program. See the chart below for an idea of the impact raising your incline can have on
calories burned.
| Calories Burned Per Hour |
| Walking Speed |
No Incline |
3% Incline |
7% Incline |
10% Incline |
| 3.5 mph |
227 |
316 |
434 |
524 |
| 4.5 mph |
487 |
544 |
620 |
678 |
| 5.5 mph |
582 |
651 |
744 |
814 |
|
|
Low Selenium May Be Risky for
smokers
Researchers at the National Public Health Institute in Helsinki, Finland, published a study in the American Journal of Epidemiology. Seeking to confirm their hypothesis, "that low selenium may in some circumstances be a risk factor for lung cancer," they collected blood samples from volunteers between 1968 and 1971, then again between 1973 and 1976. In the follow-up study at the end of 1991, ninety-five cases of lung cancer were diagnosed.
When the blood levels of selenium were compared to individuals who served as the controls without lung cancer, these showed that those with the higher selenium levels had as much as 60 percent lower risk of developing lung cancer. What's more, smokers who were for both sampling periods among the group consuming the most selenium had an 84 percent lower risk of lung cancer. Lower risk was also demonstrated for those with high intakes of vitamin E. State the authors, "the findings suggest that very low selenium status may contribute to the risk of lung cancer."
Selenium is an important mineral, but its content in the soil can vary enormously from
one geographic area to another. Good food sources include Brazil nuts, sunflower seeds,
all varieties of fish and kidneys, as well as (to a lesser extent) liver, pork, chicken,
eggs, cashew nuts, soybeans and mushrooms. Vegetables, fruits, cereals, milk products,
legumes, rice and bananas all tend to be low in selenium.
|
Roasted Vegetable Salad
Serves 4
1 md-sz. sweet green pepper, cored, seeded & sliced
lengthwise into strips 1 in. wide
1 md-sz. sweet red pepper
(same as above)
1 md-sz. sweet yellow pepper
(same as above)
1 bulb garlic (entire head)
1 lg. yellow onion, sliced 1/2 in. thick |
3 tbs olive or veg. oil
1 tsp dried oregano, crumbled
1/2 tsp ground cumin
1/4 tsp black pepper
1 md-sz. ripe tomato, cored & cut into 1 in. thick cubes
1 tsp lime juice
2 tsps chopped parsley |
| 1. Preheat the oven to 400 F. Separate the garlic into individual cloves
and peel. Place in an ungreased 13" x 9" x 2" baking pan along with the
green, red, & yellow peppers, onion, olive oil, oregano, cumin & black pepper.
Stir to mix.
2. Place the uncovered pan in the oven and roast the vegetables for 15
minutes, stirring 2 to 3 times. Stir in the tomato and roast, uncovered 15 minutes longer,
again stirring 2 or 3 times.
3. Stir in the lime juice, transfer the vegetables to a serving dish & sprinkle
with the parsley.
(Per Serving), 11 Grams of Carbohydrate, 2 Grams of Protein
|
|
Inspirational Quotes of the Week
In any moment of decision, the best thing you can do is the right thing.
The worst thing you can do is nothing.
- Theodore Roosevelt
Enlightenment means taking full responsibility for your life.
- William Blake
A problem is your chance to do your best.
- Duke Ellington
Technology is like a steamroller. If you're not on the steamroller, then you are
destined to become part of the road.
- Bits & Pieces
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